Exploring the Impact: How Online Exam Proctoring Reduces Cheating and Enhances Course Legitimacy

In this study, we analyze undergraduate student responses in 1,364 surveys to better understand student reactions to online proctoring. We present findings regarding two aspects of student reactions to online proctoring: First, we assess whether students believe that the act of cheating in online exams diminishes the legitimacy of their courses; and second, whether students think online proctoring reduces cheating and enhances the perceived legitimacy of their course performance in the eyes of graduate schools or employers. Additionally, we explore how anxiety interacts with these student perceptions. The data collected in this study support the contention that cheating reduces perceived course legitimacy, and online proctoring minimizes cheating and increases perceived course legitimacy. Finally, the data shows that when asked if they would prefer to take their examinations in the classroom or with online proctoring, students who participated in this study said they would pick online proctored exams.